Midwinter
by Queen Tigeress
Summary: what will happen with the new shang leopard there?
1. Chapter 1

She stands in the entrance hall to the grand staircase in the main ballroom of the palace in Corus. A small boy in a page's uniform comes over and asks her friend how they would like to be announced. Her friend answers "Ladies…" She is extremely nervous and a brief thought runs through her head of turning around and going right back to her rooms. But she knows that she can't do that. She had been preparing for the midwinter festivities for over three months. In that time she had learned how to apply face paint, how to walk in heels without turning an ankle. She is now dressed in a beautiful ball gown that is deep green. The dress has emeralds sown along the waist, and where the colour darkens at the hem black opals are sown. 'I can do this' she thinks to herself. She had tried on many different dress patterns two months ago, and had finally decided on the pattern she was wearing. She then had to pick out a colour and let the dress maker do her work. 'I wish my ears didn't hurt so much' runs through her head, her friend had forced earbobs on her a few hours ago, and had had to pierce her ears in order to put them in. Knowing that her agitation must show on her face, she trained it to Yamani calm, 'put on her lump mask' as some would say.

"It's going to be okay, you'll see. All you have to do is walk down the stairs, go up to the king and Queen, then curtsy to them," her friend told her in a soothing voice.

"ALL! ALL! What if I fall down the stairs or trip when I go to curtsy," I asked in a hysterical whisper.

"You'll do fine," she answers. "Too bad my husband is sick tonight, he wanted to come."

"Oh, please tell me that you didn't say something to him about helping me," I ask anxiously. "He would tease me for life." I tell her confidently, wringing my now smooth unscarred hands.

"Don't worry, I didn't tell him our secret, I told you I wouldn't, now are you ready?" she asked hesitantly.

We walked towards the grand entrance as everyone looked to see who was entering this time, the announcer said: "Presenting Ladies…"

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Did you like it? Well review, review, review! Please? Any guesses as to who might be the main lady? Points to whoever guesses correctly (only if you want them). Please review. This is just a starter chapter, they will get longer, don't worry.


	2. Chapter 2

**Everyone got it right! I'm I that obvious, that you can all see where my writing is going? I hope not. Thanks for all the reviews I've had 4 I think… maybe 5 by now I'm not sure. Disclaimer: not Tamora Pierce, therefore I own only the plot (maybe not even that seeing as everyone knows what I'm going to write).**

_Recap_: _We walked towards the grand entrance as everyone looked to see who was entering this time, the announcer said: "Presenting Ladies…"_

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"Presenting Ladies Yukimi of Queenscove and Keladry of Mindelan," the announcer said as we walked towards the Monarchs. When we reached them we curtsied, and to my surprise, I didn't fall. I was aware of everyone staring at the two of us, or more specifically, me. The thought going through everyone's head was: 'that can't be the knight, it looks like a lady!' Yuki and I went and stood by Lord Raoul, who just stared at me.

"Kel? What happened to you? You look like a court lady," Raoul whispered in shock.

"Raoul, please stop staring at me like that. Of course it's me, I just went through hours of torture, so please don't comment on how I look," I replied in a small voice.

When everyone sat down for the meal, I had Lord Raoul on one side, but the seat on my other wasn't yet occupied. "Do you know who's going to be sitting there?" I asked Raoul, waving my hand towards the seat. He just shook his head as his eyes glinted mischievously.

"Hello, Lady Keladry, so lovely to see you again," a voice said from behind her. As I turned around I see cerulean blue eyes and a sergeant's band of the King's Own, on the arm of a man who could only be one person.

"Hello, Sergeant Domitan, are you joining us for supper tonight?" I asked of him.

"But of course, why else would I grace your presence, oh great Protector of the Small?" he asked innocently.

"You call me that one more time and my pretty fan will take a few inches off your hair," I tell him, gently holding my shukusen. He visibly blanched, while Raoul tried not to burst out laughing behind me.

"Now Keladry, you shouldn't torture the sergeant so. I'm sure he wants more than just a few inches taken off. Maybe he would like, 10 inches taken off instead," Raoul offered generously.

"No-no thank you milord, I just got my hair cut yesterday, I don't need it cut again quite yet," and with that Dom sat in the chair on my other side.

Once everyone was seated, the pages started serving the meal. Raoul, Dom, and I had a wonderful time, for we just kept telling jokes, but all too soon the King announced that it was time to dance. I just sat in my seat and refused to budge. Finally Dom and Raoul had to drag me to the ballroom.

"No, no please don't. I thought you were my friends. You're not suppose to torture me it isn't nice," I tried to tell them, begging and pleading for them to let me go.

They finally sat me down in a chair and said that I was only allowed up to dance, and I told them that no one would want to dance with me, I'm a lady knight. Unfortunately, I was proved wrong. I was flocked, yes flocked, by young men who wanted to dance. Song after song, partner after partner (most of which I didn't know). When my new partner picked up my hand, a slow song started playing. 'Wonder if I'll actually know this idiot' I thought to myself. Then I looked up, and we started dancing.

"What? Aren't you going to thank me for saving you from all those bumbling idiots who you've been dancing with all night?" my new partner asked.

"Thank you for saving me, of honorable sergeant," I reply, jokingly.

"I'm hurt; did you not want to be saved? Your distress was clear on your face, and I decided to save you like the gallant gentleman I am. This is all the thanks I get?" he asked distressed himself.

"Was my distress clear on my face? I thought I hid it behind my mask. I hope I didn't hurt anyone's feelings," I said worriedly.

"No, it was not clear to just anyone, they would have had to know you for a lone time in order to see it," he told me and smiled.

'Idiot!' I thought, 'why does he have to smile at me like that?' I asked myself as my insides melted. 'No,' I told myself firmly, 'I do not like Dom in that way!' But then I looked up at him again, and I knew that 'yes, without a doubt, I loved Dom that way.' 'WAIT! Did I just say love? I can't LOVE Dom, I just can't.' my traitorous eyes looked up again and I was lost in the blue depths of his eyes.

Thankfully, the song ended then. "Let's go outside," he suggested, and I quickly agreed when I saw at least three men heading for me.

"The stars are beautiful tonight," I say to him while looking up at them, unaware of him staring at me.

"They're not the only thing," he said. I looked at him and blushed.

He moved closer to me and put his hands on my arms, then gently brushed his lips across mine. "Kel, I love you," he whispered in my ear. I just stare at him in shock.

"Wha-what did you just say? I could have sworn that you just said that you love me," I tell him.

"That's because I did," he tells me back.

"I love you too," I simply said, as he kissed me again, but with more passion.

When we finally broke away, I asked "What are we going to tell people?"

"Whatever you want," he answered.

"Do you mind if we don't tell them? I asked. "People already say bad things about me, and it would just get worse if they knew that I was actually involved with somebody.

"Of course, my love, whatever you want," he says yet again and I smile at him.

We go back inside after another kiss, and although he didn't want to, we had agreed that I should dance with other people, because if I danced with only him it would be obvious to everyone that we were together.

After six more dances I excused myself, and headed back to my rooms. About half way there I realized that someone was following me. I walked a little faster and took out my shukusen, trying not to panic. I knew that it would be hard to fight in a ball gown, but there was no help for that. Then my pursuer caught up with me. I went to smash my shukusen back into their face, but the caught my arm in one of their hands, and said "It isn't nice to hurt people," and then place kisses on my neck while I giggle helplessly.

"Stop that you. It's your own fault, you know. Sneaking up on a lady was she's all alone," I tell him through my giggles. I broke free of his grasp and started back to my room again. He ran to catch up.

"Where we going?" he asked.

"I don't know where you're going but I'm going back to my room," I tell him.

"Can I come?" he asks with laughter in his eyes.

"No you ca-," I was cut off by a kiss. I pushed him off when I noticed that we were by my door. I stepped away from him and unlocked it. When he gave me a sad puppy dog look I relented and let him into the room. He closed the door behind him and locked it as he advanced towards me.

"Dom…" I said in warning, but could say no more as he caught me up in a passionate kiss.


	3. Chapter 3

**Disclaimer: I just went back and realized that I had misspelled some words in the last chapter, and I have decided that I might like a beta, to go over my chapters before I post them. Okay, now I have to tell you that the great and wonderful Tamora Pierce owns all.**

Chapter 3

When Kel awoke her head was resting on something hard, and when she looked to see what it was, saw a naked sergeant besides her. A flood of memories from the night before came rushing back. She looked out her window and saw that it was about 6 in the morning.

"Dom, wake up. Come on, you have to leave now," she tells him.

"Why, I'm comfortable right where I am," he replies.

"Because the earlier it is the less chance that someone is going to see you walking out of my rooms in your ball clothes in the morning. Trust me, it wouldn't be good if someone saw you leave," she tells her lover.

"Fine, then, kick me out! See if I care," he informed her.

"Okay I will," she says as she turns her back to him. He sits up and grabs her around the shoulders, the starts to kiss her neck.

"Stop that," she orders him, while trying to swat him away and stand up at the same time. He just pulls her back down and she soon surrendered to his rain of kisses.

Meanwhile, Lord Raoul was bored and decided to see what his former squire was doing. He knocks on her door, and waits for her to answer. He stands at the doorway for about 5 minutes, waiting, but she doesn't come to the door and he begins to get worried.

He knocks on the door again and asks "Kel, are you in there?" Receiving no answer, he tried the door knob, but it was locked. 'Maybe she already left' he thought to himself. He was relived when the door finally opened, and a tired Kel asked "What do you want?"

"Well I've been waiting at the door for the past 10 minutes, waiting for you to answer, only no one came," was his story.

"Sorry, I didn't get back from the ball till late and I was tired. I didn't hear you knock the first time," she apologized.

"That's fine, but I expect you in the practice courts and ready for jousting in half a bell!" he ordered. She saluted and closed her door in his face.

After Raoul had walked away, Kel turned to Dom. "You have to leave now!" she told him.

"That was pretty funny, Raoul coming to your door like that," he joked.

"For you maybe, but if he had found you in here he probably would of killed one or both of us," she sternly replied. "Now I have to get ready, I have flying lessons."

"Of course love," Dom replied as he got dressed. He gave her a long sweet kiss before slipping out the door, without anyone seeing him.

Kel arrived for her flying lessons to find a smiling Raoul, and another knight on a horse with a lance instead. Kel knew who that horse belonged to, yet she prayed to the gods that she was wrong. She mounted and got into the starting position. She didn't even notice that there were at least 20 people gathered around to watch her and the other jouster. The signal came and they flew at each other. She could no longer deny the identity of her opponent when his lance hit her side like a very large hammer. She was amazed that she didn't go flying and returned to the starting position. She got a new lance, and the signal went again. To her surprise her opponent went flying. She stopped Peachblossom in horror. Everyone was quiet and she slowly dismounted and walked over to her opponent. "May I help you up, Sir?" she asked politely as every one behind her started cheering like mad.

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Does anyone know the identity of her opponent? I'll give you points for a correct answer. It's not that hard really; just think about it for a little. Thanks for all the reviews. I have no idea how many I've gotten, but that okay, it's what's in them that's important, not how many there are. (How many of you bought what I just wrote? It sounds crazy and is, so you can pretty much ignore it.)

PLEASE REVIEW! I want 3 reviews before I update, and I've already written the 4th chapter.


	4. Chapter 4

**Disclaimer: Tamora Pierce owns all yada yada yada… oh thanks for the reviews, I've gotten about 6 in the 11 hours since I've posted chapter 3.**

_Recap: To her surprise her opponent went flying. She stopped Peachblossom in horror. Everyone was quiet and she slowly dismounted and walked over to her opponent. "May I help you up, Sir?" she asked politely as every one behind her started cheering like mad._

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"No thank you Mindelan, I'm fine," her gruff, ex-training master told her. He slowly got to his feet as Raoul came over to the duo.

"Kel… You just unseated him. Even I couldn't unseat him," Raoul said in a reverent whisper.

Suddenly the king was there. "What's going on," he demanded to know.

"Kel unseated Wyldon," Raoul whispered, still looking at her like she was some sort of goddess.

"Impossible, I refuse to believe that," the king told them.

"Actually it's not impossible, she did unseat me, though I'm not sure how," Wyldon told the king.

The king just walked away, mumbling about something no one could hear.

"Raoul please stop staring at me like that, you're making me nervous," she tells him.

"What… oh, right. Well that was amazing to say the least. I mean when was the last time you were unseated, Wyldon?" Raoul asked the legend who was never unseated.

"My knight master was the last to unseat me, and that was at lest 20 years ago," he told them.

Kel looked back and forth between them, then said unsure "Well I'm going to go wipe Peachblossom down now," and with that she quickly walked away.

When she got to the stable she quickly untacked him and wiped him down. She murmured in his ear, telling him what a good horse he was.

After he was munching away happily, Kel went to her rooms and got her practice glaive. She went down to the practice courts and started a complicated pattern dance. She was so absorbed in getting all the moves right she didn't notice that someone was watching her until they started clapping. She shielded her eyes to see who it was, but didn't know the man standing in front of her.

"You're very good with that you know," the tall, dark haired Yamani, told her in Yaman.

"Thank you, if you don't mind my asking, who are you?" Kel asked in the same language, with a small bow, Yamani style, to accept the compliment.

"My name is Hiro Yukemura, and I am the Shang Leopard," the young man told her.

"Please excuse me, but I had not heard that there was a new Shang Leopard," Kel replied with another bow.

"That is understandable, as I only passed my ordeal a few months ago, and have not done any deeds worth mentioning yet," he said with a bow.

"I am sure that that is not correct and that you are just being modest," Kel told him with yet another bow.

"I assure you, I am not that modest. It would please me greatly to know the name of the Tortallian who can wield the glaive with such precision," yet another bow.

"Certainly, I seem to have forgotten my manners, my name is Lady Knight Keladry of Mindelan, and I lived in the Yamani Islands for 6 years when I was younger," she gave this information to him with yet again another bow. (They seem to be bowing a lot, don't they? That's it no more bowing!)

"You are the famed Lady Knight?" he asked in astonishment.

"Of course, who else would I be?" she asked, not knowing why he was so astonished.

"I thought that maybe one of the Yamani ladies might have taught you. I didn't think that the famed Protector of the Small would be so…" here he trailed off.

"You didn't think that I'd be so what? Please tell me, I wish to know what you think of me. I like to know what everyone thinks of me. If you can't tell me, then I shall take my leave," she told him as she turned away.

"No, please do not leave," he asked of her. "In shang they just told us that the lady knight wasn't very nice, and that you have a very bad temper."

At this Kel started to laugh "I almost never lose my temper, I think that it's the Lioness that they think of," she told the boy, who was very surprised at what she had said.

"Oh dear, I am sorry for my mistake, please forgive me," he asked, WITH A BOW.

"Of course, now if you'll excuse me I would like to wash up before lunch. Why don't you join my friends and me?" she asked politely.

"That would be wonderful, I'll pick you up at your rooms in half a bell," and with that he walked one way and Kel the other, towards her room.

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'I think I'll see if Kel wants to go to lunch' Dom thought, and started towards her quarters. When he was about half-way there a young Yamani man stopped him and asked if he knew where the rooms belonging Lady Knight Keladry of Mindelan were.

"Yes, I do in fact and I was just heading there," Dom told this strange young man. "You may accompany me if you like."

The two of them walked along the corridor, both wondering who the other was, and why he was going to the Lady Knight's quarters. Dom stopped when he reached Kel's door, the Yamani a step behind him.

Knocking on her door Dom asked "Kel, are you in there?" and heard something fall and Kel curse. "Keladry, you should not use such language, as you never know who might be standing outside you door with me," he said.

"Unless you have the king standing with you I don't give a…" and the two of them listened to her stream of curses.

Suddenly her door opened, and Dom, who had been leaning on it, fell inside her rooms. But alas, he knocked over the lady knight when he fell. Dom knew that he was in for it. _'THUNK'_ went Kel's shukusen against his head.

"Hello Hiro, are you ready to go to lunch?" she asked the young man fighting fits of laughter.

"What about me?" Dom asked, forlorn.

"I suppose you may come as well," Kel sighed as Dom jumped up and looked as happy as if he just won a 100 gold crowns. "Wipe that smirk off your face Sergeant, or I'll have to wipe it off for you," she suggested.

"Of course mother," he replied with an exaggerated bow.

"Do that one more time and you have one bell of sword practice against me," she told him, while Hiro just watched the two in astonishment.

"Very well," he said.

"Oh, and the two of you introduce yourselves," she told them. Then seeing as Dom was going to introduce himself to her she added "to each other!"

And with that the trio proceeded to the mess hall.


	5. Chapter 5

**Author's Note**

I want to take this chance to thank you all for your reviews. Except for one, everyone seems to like my story. Please remember that I am not forcing you to read my story, and while I like your reviews and constructive criticism, I DO NOT appreciate when someone reviews to tell me, in four long paragraphs, that they do not like any thing about my story. If you dislike my story that much, please do not read. As I said before I'm not forcing you to read this, or any of my other stories. I appreciate hearing people's thoughts, but if someone is going to write two or more paragraphs about how they liked nothing they can email it to me at: please respect my wishes, and even though hearing that review dampened my feelings for this story some, have no fears, I will update as soon as possible. And again, thank you for all your reviews, especially everyone who reviews every chapter. It is these people that I will continue writing this story for, though anyone and everyone is allowed to read it. Thank you for taking the time to read this.

Queen Tigress


	6. Chapter 6

**Disclaimer" I do not own any of the places or characters, except for Hiro, the Shang Leopard.**

**Remember that midwinter is 7 days long and they have a ball each night. **

**Chapter 5**

Kel, Dom, and Hiro got their trays of food and went to sit with Kel's friends. The three of them sat down, with each man on either side of Kel. Neal was the first one to notice that someone new was sitting at the table.

"Hello, who might you be?" he asked of Hiro. "My name is Nealan of Queenscove, and I can only guess that the lady knight brought you here, as she is the only one at this table who doesn't have enough manners to introduce new people."

"Neal, shut it. I have more manners than you could learn in 5 lifetimes. Besides no one even noticed him sitting there. If you ask me, if all of you who have bad manners, for not noticing sooner. Also, have you looked at our friends yet?" Kel said in a huff and pointed at Merric who was shoving food down his throat as if he hadn't eaten in weeks.

"Actually, I have more man- OUCH! Yuki, that hurt!" he told his wife after she hit him with her shukusen.

Kel and Dom burst out laughing, as did most of the table. "Okay, I'll introduce you all.

Everybody, this is Hiro Yukemura, the Shang Leopard. Hiro this is Neal, as he already told you, the woman who hit him with a shukusen is his wife, Yukimi, but we call her Yuki. Then we have Merric of Hollyrose, Owen of Jesslaw, Sever of Tasride, Esmond of Nicoline, and Roald of Conté," she introduced each as she pointed to them.

"It is nice to meet all of you," Hiro said with a nod of his head.

"You're a Shang Warrior? Well isn't that jolly," Owen, of course.

"So, Neal I guess your feeling better? Did you heal yourself, or get you father to?" Kel asked with a smirk.

"I'll have you know that I healed myself, thank you very much," Neal replied, indignantly.

"Of course you did, sweetheart," this from Yuki, who was trying to calm him.

As soon as Kel was finished eating Yuki jumped up and grabbed her by the arm, then started to drag her away. But Kel wasn't going without a fight.

"No Yuki, please, don't do this!" she yelled loud enough for every one in the mess hall to hear. Many people burst out laughing as they saw the large lady knight, who wasn't afraid of anything, being dragged away by someone half her size.

"Please I beg of you, don't do this! Somebody help! She's going to torture me!" some of the men began to look uncertain.

"Don't be silly, I'm not going to torture you, I'm going to put you in a dress and do your hair up all nice and put face paint on you," Yuki grinned evilly.

"Noooo!" Kel shouted in pure terror. Everyone in the mess burst out laughing, except for Hiro who turned to Dom and asked "Why is everyone laughing?"

Dom answered "Because Kel hates dresses and you couldn't pay her to wear face paint." With that he started laughing again.

"You are cold and heartless people" Kel informed the mess as she was dragged out. "And I will have revenge against my friends for letting this happen to me," was all she could say as she tried to catch a hold of the door frame, so as to hold herself there. Needless to say, it didn't work, and they could hear Kel yell from down the hall "This means jousting for my worthless friends." Most of the mess hall burst out laughing as her friends' faces paled.

A half a bell later Dom knocked on Kel's door. Yuki answered and asked what he wanted Kel for.

"I wanted to ask her, if I could escort her to the ball tonight," Dom told an excited Yuki.

"Well come in and ask her," Yuki told him and stepped out into the hall so he could enter. "I think that forgot something in my rooms, I'll be right back," she added as she walked away.

Dom entered the room and closed the door behind him. "Yuki, who was it?" asked a half dressed Kel, who was trying to get her clothes back on.

"It's your knight in shining armor, except, Yuki would probably kill me if I helped you escape. Anyways, I have come to ask if I could escort you to the ball tonight," he asked with a smile.

'Of course you can escort me, of great and gallant knight," she replied also with a smile.

He had just taken a step towards her when the door opened and Yuki stepped back in and asked "did you ask her?"

Kel answered for him "Yes he asked me and I told him he could only escort me if he behaved like a gentleman for once."

"I think you should leave now, so that I can get Kel finished for the ball," Yuki told Dom.

"Of course, Kel I'll pick you up at 7:30," Dom told her on his way out the door.

Two hours later Hiro was lost. He had been looking for his quarters, but had taken at least one wrong turn. He sat down on the base of a statue, and you can imagine his surprise when it started talking to him.

"Hiro, it's me, Kel, I'm behind the statue. No don't look, Yuki will find me if you do," Kel said in a hurried whisper.

"I wanted to ask you something Kel," Hiro said, looking straight ahead.

"Oh, really what is it?" she wanted to know.

"I was wondering if I could escort you to the ball tonight," Hiro asked hesitating.

"I'm sorry, but someone is already escorting me," she quietly told him.

"That's okay, I was just wondering. Who are you going with anyways?" he asked.

"I'm going with Dom. He was going to escort a girl form the riders, but she's ill and can't make it," Kel told him slowly, wondering why he wanted to know.

"So you're his second choice?" he asked incredulously.

"Dom just asked me as friends, because he doesn't like to show up at ball and stuff like that alone. It's sort of a phobia for him, and whenever the subject is brought up his gets all twitchy and starts mumbling about matchmaking mothers. It's quite funny to watch actually," Kel said with a smile, not that Hiro could see it.

"Well since you already have an escort for tonight, may I escort you tomorrow night instead?" he asked slowly.

Kel hesitated a little, the replied "Sure, I don't think I have anyone else escorting me tomorrow night…" she trailed off, but Hiro had only noticed the part where she said yes.

"That's wonderful! I'll pick you up tomorrow night at 7:30, okay?" he answered.

"Sure," was all she could say. "I better find another hiding place; Yuki will soon think to look here."

"Sure, you go and hide," he said encouragingly.

Kel jumped up, looked around and ran to find another hiding place. Unfortunately for Kel, Yuki found her 20 minutes later, and proceeded to drag her back to her rooms.


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